ENV20 Introduction to Environmental Engineering 2nd Term 2016-2017 Part I. Write the meaning of the following acronyms: (10 pts) 1. PO- Permit to Operate 2. EMB- Environmental Management Bureau 3. ODS- Ozone Depleting Substances 4. EGF- Environmental Guarantee Fund 5. AQF- Air Quality Management Fund
6. NAAQGV- National Ambient Air Quality Guideline Values 7. POPs- Persistent Organic Pollutants 8. GWP- Global Water Partnership 9. AAQGV- Ambient Air Quality Guidelines Values 10. TLV- Threshold Limit Value
Part II. Answer the questions below: (10 pts each) AIR 1.
What are criteria pollutants? Give the criteria pollutants enumerated in R.A. 8749. Complete table below: Criteria Pollutants
Major Source
Acceptable TLV
(1) SOx
Fossil-fuel and lowgrade fuel (coal) combustion, nonferrous metal smelting, H2S, mercaptans
2 ppm
Acid rain, SO2 – human health problem, reduced visibility, damage to plants/animals, smog, haze, aesthetic damage, corrosion of materials
(2) NOx
Burning of fuel, power generation plants, industrial furnaces, transportations, waste disposal systems
3-5 ppm
∙Photochemical smoginjurious to plants/animals and human health ∙Increased nitrogen loading upsets the chemical balance of nutrients in water bodies ∙Eutrophication w/c leads to O2 depletion
(3) CO
Incomplete combustion of any organic fuel (transportation)
<30 ppm
∙Prevents blood from carrying oxygen thus extremely harmful to humans ∙Contributes to the formation of smog or ground-level ozone
ADNieva
Environmental Impact
LEARNING TASK
Major Pollution Control Increasing conservation & energy efficiency measures the use of alternative sources of energy and burn less coal Utilize pollution abatement technology (Additional Cost in producing the energy) Some abatement technologies are currently available such as Flue Gas Recirculation, Low NOx Burners (LNB) and Combustion Optimization. Emission Controls are used in today’s life such as air injection, exhaust gas recirculation, catalytic converter and other emission Page 1 of 4
ENV20 Introduction to Environmental Engineering 2nd Term 2016-2017
(4) Particulate Matter
Combustion of fuel (noncombustible ash or incompletely burned soot), materials handling processes (crushing, grinding or bulk loading of dry materials), dust storm, volcanic ash & forest fires
(5) VOC’s
Incomplete combustion or by evaporation of organic liquids, cars & other vehicles, solventbased paints, forests & vegetation emit various HC’s in their biological normal processes, bacterial decomposition of organic matters (CH4 ), incomplete combustion of coal, oil & wood, processing & use of petroleum ∙Motor vehicles & industrial sources ∙Metals processing (lead smelters) ∙Waste incinerators, utilities & lead-acid battery manufacturers.
(6) Pb
ADNieva
10ppm
Play areas: 400 ppm
Nonplay areas: 1200 ppm The EPA's standard for lead in bare soil in play areas is 400 ppm by weight and 1200 ppm for nonplay areas. This regulation applies to cleanup projects using federal funds.
Reductions in visibility (smog or haze), soiling of buildings, corrosive damage, alteration of local weather, damage human health (respiratory disease, coughing and painful breathing & chronic bronchitis), retard plant growth
Reactive HC’s (RCH=CHR) form smog, implicated health problems i.e.benzopyrene
∙Damages organs (kidneys, liver, brain and nerves) ∙Osteoporosis & reproductive disorders ∙Seizures, mental retardation, behavioral disorders, memory problems & mood changes ∙Learning deficits & lowered IQ ∙High blood pressure, heart diseases ∙Anemia or weak blood
LEARNING TASK
controls that can help reduce CO. To reduce emissions, there should be dust control for roads, constructions and landfills, landscaping, barrier and fencing to reduce windblown dust; avoid using leaf blowers and other dustproducing equipment. To reduce exposure to these toxins, products should contain LOWVOCs or NO VOCs to eliminate stockpiling of these toxins/chemic als. Waste Water run-offs should be contained in storage piles with built-in catchment drainage to retain and collect the sediments. Adding organic matter, like composted leaves, nonacid peat and decomposed manure Page 2 of 4
ENV20 Introduction to Environmental Engineering 2nd Term 2016-2017
(7) O3 (Ozone )
2.
∙Motor vehicles & industrial sources ∙Gasoline vapors ∙Chemical solvents ∙Called as “summertime pollutant” since sunlight and hot weather cause ground level O3 to form harmful concentrations ∙Wind carries ozone
0.05 ppm
∙Irritate lung airways & cause inflammation much like a sunburn ∙Wheezing, coughing, pain when taking a deep breath during outdoor activities or exercise ∙Repeated exposure for several months can cause permanent lung damage ∙Aggravated asthma, reduced lung capacity ∙Susceptibility to pneumonia & bronchitis
because lead contents tend to bind with organic compounds. Vapor recovery nozzls at the gasoline pumps to reduce refuelling emissions, strict NOx emission limits for power plants and industrial combustion sources and strict limitations on the solvent usage in factories.
If you will be in-charge with the site selection for an industrial plant, which would you prefer, in an attainment area or in a nonattainment area? Explain your answer using RA 8749 Provisions on Attainment and Non-attainment areas. Based on RA 8749, a non-attainment area is areas with persistent air quality problem. This means that the area has violated federal health-based standards for outdoor air pollution. Thus, I would prefer to choose area which was designated as an attainment area.I prefer attainment area rather than non-attainment area because the air quality is at below the NAAQV, meaning, the government is not strict with the compliance compared to the non-attainment areas. Also, upon non-conformity, unlike in a non-attainment area, the plant shall be rewarded of a grace period to comply certain standards.
3.
What will you do if a problem arise in the plant (i.e. boiler broke down) to avoid violations of Clean Air Act?
Boilers are essential equipment in many industrial processes. For example, these equipment supply steam to the processes for heating. Sudden breakdown of boilers may cause great interruption to the energy supply, thus, immediate action must be taken by experienced engineers in order to avoid production of contaminants to the environment. In order to avoid these problems, the person in charge within the plant should have an intensive knowledge of the process in order to properly troubleshoot the equipment.If there would be a problem arise in the plant, I shall write a letter to the EMB & DENR regarding of what happened and I will ask for a help or solution regarding of that. If they will approve it, 18 months is given to comply the necessary problems in the plant. If met, grace period shall be given.
ADNieva
LEARNING TASK
Page 3 of 4
ENV20 Introduction to Environmental Engineering 2nd Term 2016-2017
Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. - ARISTOTLE
ADNieva
LEARNING TASK
Page 4 of 4
